System, methods, and devices for generating power using a thermoelectric device with closed loop cooling system for mobile device and battery charging

Abstract

The pending disclosure describes systems, methods, and devices for generating power using a thermoelectric device. Such systems, methods, and devices may include one or more heat pipes containing a fluid. Moreover, each of the heat pipes may be coupled to the top surface of one or more thermoelectric modules. Also, a heat sink may be coupled to the top end of the one or more heat pipes. Further, a charging circuit may be coupled to the one or more thermoelectric modules. Moreover, the bottom surface of the one or more thermoelectric modules may be heated from an external heat source to a temperature higher than the temperature of the top surface of the one or more thermoelectric modules thereby generating voltage to be provided to the electric charging circuit.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A device comprising,
 a housing;   one or more thermoelectric modules coupled to the housing, each of the one or more thermoelectric modules having a bottom surface and a top surface;   one or more heat pipes containing a fluid, each of the heat pipes having a bottom end and a top end, the bottom end of the one or more heat pipes coupled to the top surface of one or more thermoelectric modules;   a heat sink coupled to the top end of the one or more heat pipes and the housing;   a charging circuit coupled to the one or more thermoelectric modules;   wherein the bottom surface of the one or more thermoelectric modules is heated from an external heat source to a temperature higher than the temperature of the top surface of the one or more thermoelectric modules thereby developing an electric potential within the device based on the bottom surface of the thermoelectric modules being at a higher temperature than the temperature of the top surface of the thermoelectric modules, generating voltage to be provided to the charging circuit.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the charging circuit includes:
 a battery charging circuit that receives charge from the one or more thermoelectric modules;   one or more charge storage devices coupled to the battery charging circuit such that the battery charging circuit provides charge to the one or more charge storage devices.   
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the charging circuit includes:
 a mobile device interface that is coupled to and receives charge from the battery charging circuit and the one or more charge storage devices.   
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more charge storage devices is selected from the group consisting of one or more batteries and one or more capacitors. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the charging circuit further includes:
 a first DC-to-DC converter that receives charge from the one or more thermoelectric modules and conditions and provides the charge to the battery charging circuit;   a second DC-to-DC converter coupled to the one or more charge storage devices and the battery charging circuit and the mobile device interface, the second DC-to-DC converter conditions the charge to the mobile device interface.   
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the top surface of the one or more thermoelectric modules receives heat from the external heat source thereby heating the fluid at the bottom end of the one or more heat pipes coupled to the top surface of the one or more thermoelectric modules;   the fluid vaporizes and rises to the top end of the one or more heat pipes, the top end of the one or more heat pipes is coupled to the heat sink;   the heat sink condenses fluid vapor to fluid such that fluid moves to the bottom end of the one or more heat pipes coupled to the top surface of the thermoelectric modules and cooling the top surface of the thermoelectric modules to a temperature lower than the bottom surface of the thermoelectric modules thereby maintaining that the bottom surface of the thermoelectric modules is at a higher temperature than the temperature of the top surface of the one or more thermoelectric modules to maintain a necessary temperature difference for power generation and provide charge to the electric charging circuit.   
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid is isopropyl alcohol. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid is water. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more charge storing devices is coupled to an external source interface such that the one or more charge storing devices receives and stores charges from an external source. 
     
     
         10 . The device of the  claim 1 , wherein the external heat source is sunlight concentrated through an attached Fresnel lens that provides heat to the bottom surface of the thermoelectric modules. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the electric potential is generated by causing charge carrier diffusion through a conduction band of the one or more thermoelectric modules with the bottom surface of the one or more thermoelectric modules at higher temperature to the top surface the one or more thermoelectric modules at lower temperature. 
     
     
         12 . A method comprising:
 receiving, by one or more thermoelectric modules, heat from an external heat source wherein the heat is received by the bottom surface of the one or more thermoelectric modules;   vaporizing fluid at a bottom end of one or more heat pipes coupled to the top surface of the one or more thermoelectric modules;   condensing fluid vapor by a heat sink coupled to a top end of the one or more heat pipes thereby having the fluid flow back down to the bottom end of the one or more heat pipes cooling the top surface of the one or more thermoelectric modules to a temperature lower than a temperature of the bottom surface of the one or more thermoelectric modules;   generating an electric potential in the one or more thermoelectric modules based on the bottom surface of the thermoelectric modules being at a higher temperature than a temperature of the top surface of the thermoelectric modules;   providing, by a diffusion of charge carriers through the conduction band of the one or more thermoelectric modules, electric charge to a charging circuit.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the charging circuit includes:
 a battery charging circuit that receives charge from the one or more thermoelectric modules;   one or more charge storage devices coupled to the battery charging circuit such that the battery charging circuit provides charge to the one or more charge storage devices.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the charging circuit includes:
 a mobile device interface coupled to and receives charge from the battery charging circuit and the one or more charge storage devices.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more charge storage devices is selected from the group consisting of one or more batteries and one or more capacitors. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the charging circuit further includes:
 a first DC-to-DC converter that receives charge from the one or more thermoelectric modules and conditions and provides the charge to the battery charging circuit;   a second DC-to-DC converter coupled to the one or more charge storage devices and the battery charging circuit and the mobile device interface, the second DC-to-DC converter conditions the charge to the mobile device interface.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the fluid is isopropyl alcohol. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the fluid is water. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more charge storing devices is coupled to an external source interface such that the one or more charge storing devices receives and stores charges from an external source. 
     
     
         20 . The method of the  claim 12 , wherein the external heat source is a Fresnel lens that provides heat to the bottom surface of the thermoelectric modules by concentrating direct sunlight.